Showerthought: I bought a fancy GPS unit for the PCT in 2015 and barely used it.

Wasted about $300 on it because the paper maps and trail markers were just way more reliable for me. Anyone else have gear they bought for a big trip that just collected dust?

3 comments

3 Comments

beth_hunt10d ago

My 10 year old GPS is still going strong. Different strokes I guess. I actually found it way less stressful than stopping every mile to pull out paper maps.

ninab502mo ago

Yeah, that "barely used it" part hits home. I bought a similar high tech gadget for a trip once and it was a total paperweight. Felt like such a waste.

sanchez.robin2mo ago

My friend bought a fancy drone for his Yellowstone trip last year. He spent more time worrying about battery life and flight rules than actually enjoying the park. It's like @ninab50 said, the gadget becomes the main event instead of the trip itself. You end up with a bag full of chargers and a headache, not better memories. Sometimes the best tech for a vacation is just your phone's camera.